27 May 2022
Police and Crime Commissioner Dafydd Llywelyn has welcomed the news of a national investment in the Community Payback Scheme, as it was announced that the Government is to invest £93 million in the scheme over the next three years, to increase delivery to around 8 million hours a year.
Community Payback is a sentence of the court that requires people to carry out between 40 and 300 hours of work for the benefit of local communities. The number of hours to be completed is set by the Court and the delivery of that work is known as Community Payback (CP).
CP is primarily a punishment that restricts a person’s free time, however, CP is also rehabilitative and enables people to pay back for their offending, build self-esteem and learn new skills.
The Wales Community Payback provision can support beneficiaries by providing free labour to undertake various projects to support their local communities. The provision does not risk or replace paid employment, rather it supports the completion of work that wouldn’t take place without the support of the provision.
The Dyfed-Powys area is currently averaging around 950 hours per week working in the community.
CP projects in the area have recently been taking place at Dinefwr Park Llandeilo, St. Mary’s Catholic School Llanelli, Ysgol Llwyn Yr Eos Aberystwyth, Field Studies Council Pembroke, Brecon Cathedral, Newtown Wetlands project and Help the Homeless in Builth Wells. Projects are also taking place in various churches and chapels throughout Dyfed-Powys involving grass cutting, strimming, hedging and path laying.
People on probation in Dyfed-Powys are also encouraged to take Education, Training and Employment related activities as part of their unpaid work requirement to support the development of skills required for potential future employment.
Dyfed-Powys Police and Crime Commissioner Dafydd Llywelyn said: “Restorative justice schemes such as the Community Payback Scheme can be used as a pre-sentencing measure that can engage petty criminals at an early stage and ensure that their crimes are paid for by benefitting the community.
“The scheme can help reconnect offenders to society. By helping to improve the environment they live in, they are more likely to appreciate their surroundings and are less likely to commit petty crimes such as vandalism as a result
“It’s a payback to the community, for crimes against the community, and I welcome the recent news of further investment in the Scheme over the next three years.
Mr Llywelyn is also encouraging communities to suggest what unpaid work can be carried out by offenders in their local area, and said; “I would urge local communities to consider nominating project ideas for their area, where offenders could work on projects to pay back the community for their crimes, for example by, removing graffiti, clearing wasteland, decorating a community centre and so on. It is essential that this work must not take paid work away from others, but should benefit the whole community.”
Project nominations can be sent in to the Police and Crime Commissioner’s Office via OPCC@dyfed-powys.police.uk, which will then be share with relevant Community Payback partners.
ENDS
Further information:
Gruff Ifan
Policy and Engagement Advisor